Future of the Jedi
by the-writer1988
Summary: Luke and Leia Skywalker. Ben Skywalker. Tian and Kinlan-Jinn Kenobi. They are the future. But what does it take to be a Jedi Knight? Thirteen year-old Luke and Leia Skywalker soon begin to learn the answer on their first mission as Padawan's with their Master's: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. Part of my 'A Mother's Love universe'.
1. Prologue

**A/N) This story is a continuation of my series that I started writing and posting back in 2012. It has been over a year since I added something new to this series but I always intended on coming back to it. If anyone who is reading this has not read the previous stories then you need to read them as the universe I have created is very different to canon, but if you do want to dive right in, feel free!**

* * *

 **Title:** Future of the Jedi

 **Author:** the-writer1988

 **Rating:** T

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Star Wars. Disney does.

 **Summary:** Luke and Leia Skywalker. Ben Skywalker. Tian and Kinlan-Jinn Kenobi. They are the future. But what does it take to be a Jedi Knight? Thirteen year-old Luke and Leia Skywalker soon begin to learn the answer on their first mission as Padawan's with their Master's: Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano.

 **Characters:** Luke Skywalker, Leia Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker, Shmi Skywalker

 **Notes:** This story is the 5th instalment in my 'A Mother's Love' universe. I strongly advise anyone unfamiliar with this series to go back and at least read 'A Mother's Love' and 'A Jedi's Love' before starting with this one. The full story list goes in this order:

1) A Mother's Love

2) Grandmotherhood

3) A Jedi's Love

4) Knighthood

5) Future of the Jedi

6) ?

7) ?

8) ?

9) Goodbye Mother

10) A Jedi's Legacy

Stories 6, 7 and 8 have yet to be revealed but they are planned and will complete this universe.

Without further ado, here is the Prologue to 'Future of the Jedi'.

* * *

 **Prologue**

Watching from afar and holding a washcloth in her right hand, Shmi Skywalker-Layson observed two of her grandchildren sparring with one another. They pivoted, slashed and dodged, expertly defending against each attack. Shmi winced as Leia avoided a near miss, a look of sheer determination on her face, as she slid down and lifted her blade upwards, causing Luke to jump back.

When the twins had first started to spar with real lightsabers Shmi had worried that one might accidently harm the other. She had been the same when Anakin had first started to spar his own Master at their age.

But Luke and Leia were very skilled. They had trained from a young age with their father and uncle, and Shmi knew her son nor Obi-Wan would ever have allowed the twins to spar with real weapons unless they were absolutely sure they were in control of their abilities. It didn't change the fact she still worried. Much as she would like to swap her placement for somewhere away from here, Shmi couldn't avoid it forever. The rota she and her team followed was designed to be fair for all and that everyone did their fair share of each different area.

"They'll be fine."

Shmi looked over her shoulder and saw Anakin standing behind her, his eyes watching his children intently. "I would hope so. You did teach them."

Anakin grinned. "Yeah, but now its Obi-Wan and Ahsoka's turn."

Shmi shook her head, a slight smile forming on her lips. When Luke had been a baby he had unintentionally forged a bond with Obi-Wan making it inevitable he would have to be trained by him. Anakin had always held that above Obi-Wan's head, until of course Obi-Wan's daughter Tian had been born and had promptly done the same thing Luke had done to Obi-Wan to Anakin. Now Anakin had to train Tian but it would be a few years before he could take her as his apprentice. She was only nine years old. Shmi knew Obi-Wan was gleefully waiting for the day his daughter would become her son's apprentice. "You shouldn't be so happy about that, Ani. After all you do have Tian…"

Anakin shrugged. "Not for several years. I still have my freedom!"

"Unless they bring in the new training rule…" smiled Shmi. She knew the Council were considering changing training laws. Each student advanced at their own pace and it seemed only fair to bring them into apprenticeship if they were ready for it rather than hold it back until they were thirteen. Tian Kenobi was quite advanced for her age and it wouldn't surprise Shmi if the change was made and Anakin had to become her Master sooner rather than later.

"Even if the change comes into place, Tian won't advance to apprenticeship. I think there will still be an age limit as to when one can become a Padawan, We can't take them on dangerous assignments too young…" explained Anakin. "I think the parents would kill us if we did that."

Shmi turned back to the wall she was cleaning, rubbing the cloth down it, and removing the tiny scorch marks that had been left behind by lightsabers. "What age would it reduce to?"

"Ten, I think."

Shmi glanced back at her son. "Tian is nearly ten in case you had forgotten."

"Oh."

"So she might advance," hinted Shmi teasingly. Only a mother could get away with teasing her son.

Anakin groaned. "No wonder Obi-Wan is advocating this. He wants to give Tian to me sooner!"

"Do you not believe the training laws should be changed?" Shmi enquired. She knew Anakin was joking – he was looking forward to training Tian. He hadn't taken on anyone since Ahsoka had been Knighted.

"I believe they should be. The current laws are unfair to those that advance quicker. Both Luke and Leia have an advantage over other children. They've grown up with two Jedi Masters and a Knight. They've been learning the ways of the Force since they could crawl and talk. With Jedi now being allowed to marry and have children, more and more trainees will have the advantage of Luke and Leia so it seems only fair to adapt. Even those that do not have the advantage of Jedi families can still learn quickly and progress quicker: it all depends on the individual child. This new law aims to be fair to all and help everyone," answered Anakin.

"What about those that are not ready at thirteen?" Shmi asked. Genuinely she was curious about this as she knew some children were never picked to be apprentices and were instead sent to work for the Jedi in other ways or chose to go back to their families. Obi-Wan had nearly been sent away from the Jedi at thirteen for not being picked to be an apprentice but his fortunes had changed very quickly, gaining him a place as the apprentice of Qui-Gon Jinn.

Anakin frowned. "That is a problem we still need to address. There are not enough Jedi Knights or Masters to train every child that comes through our doors. We are in discussions to resolve this issue. An alternative is to allow Masters to take two Padawans at a time but then that does divide our times between two Padawans instead of focusing on one individuals learning. That is what the apprenticeship from thirteen is about. It would be more complicated if we were handling two Padawans." He stroked his chin. "But it might be the way to go. With more Jedi having families and producing Force-sensitive children, none of them will want their children to not become Jedi. So we have to solve this problem before the majority of Jedi-born children are old enough to be rejected from the Order due to not being chosen by a Knight for one-to-one training."

Shmi could see their dilemma. There would be more people who were Force-sensitive but there simply were not enough Knights or Masters to train them to Knighthood. There were more potential Jedi around than teachers. "Maybe this is why they did not want Jedi having families in the old days?"

Anakin shook his head. "No. We had this problem anyway, even without Jedi being allowed to marry. Anyway it is unlikely to affect my children or Obi-Wan's. There will be certain children earmarked for keeping in the Order which isn't fair on other children but…" he bit his lip looking concerned, "I'm sure we will find a solution."

Shmi nodded. The Jedi had adapted rather well over the last twenty years, making changes that once many had thought impossible. "You didn't just come here to watch Luke and Leia sparring did you?"

"You always seem to know when I have an ulterior motive," smirked Anakin.

Shmi gently smiled. "It's called a mother's intuition."

"I think Padmé has that too," replied Anakin.

"All mother's do."

Anakin turned his gaze from his children to his mother. "I came here to talk to you."

"Oh?" One eyebrow rose upwards.

"Luke and Leia are going to go on their first assignment with their Master's. They are due to leave in a week." The words tumbled out fast as if Anakin feared his mother's response.

Shmi swallowed. She had faced this before with Anakin. "Okay." Her response surprised her son.

"I thought you would have been more…" he trailed off, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Worried?" she answered. "I am worried, Ani, but I also know my grandchildren will be safe with Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. I still worry about you when you go off on assignments. It will not ever change. But I am used to my family going away for long periods. I always knew Luke and Leia would have to go on missions when they became Padawans. And I knew it would be soon… They are far too skilled to stay cooped up in the Temple for much longer. They need time to develop their skills away from here."

Anakin breathed out a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you understand. I think Padmé and I are gonna need you whilst they are away."

Shmi reached up and patted her tall son on the shoulder. "They'll be fine, Ani. Besides, they have Obi-Wan and Ahsoka training them, what could possibly go wrong?"

 **To be continued...**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **So, here we are... the start of a new story in my 'A Mother's Love' universe. Shmi still works at the Temple, and the Jedi Order has changed, resulting in a lot more potential Force users being found due to the new rules meaning a family is a part of their training.**

 **Anakin is still married to Padme Amidala and they have three children, twins: Luke and Leia (13) and a younger son: Ben (9)** **.**

 **Obi-Wan is married to the former Duchess of Mandalore: Satine Kryze. They have two children. A daughter - Tian (9) and a son: Kinlan-Jinn (3).**

 **This story will probably only be about 10 chapters though could potentially go over but I suspect it will remain at 10.**

 **I will try to update weekly but it does depend on work shifts and other factors.**

 **Until next time,**

 **the-writer1988**


	2. Chapter One

**A/N) My apologies in taking forever to update. I've been stuck on writing chapter 3 so I delayed updating. I have made little progress on it so the posting of chapter 2 may be delayed again until I get my head back into gear. This story has been planned for a long time and will be fully written and finished. Thank you to those that have read and reviewed!**

* * *

 **Future of the Jedi**

 **Chapter One**

The twins stood together on the landing platform, located on the west side of the Jedi Temple. This was their first ever assignment with their Master's, and their first time going away without either of their parents. Though they had gone on trips across the galaxy as a family, neither Luke or Leia had been separated from their parents before. One parent had always been on the planet they were on if one needed to go away. Now they were leaving Coruscant to begin their next steps in their Jedi training.

It felt strange to be leaving without them. They had already said farewell to their mother, father and younger sibling the night before, when they had popped round for an evening meal to celebrate the start of their first mission. Though Obi-Wan had told them they could sleep at their parent's home that night, Luke and Leia had declined, instead allowing their father to escort them back to the Temple after dinner.

Luke scratched his chin, his dark blonde hair falling in strands about his face. His Padawan braid hung behind his right ear. His blue eyes shone brightly as he stood beside his twin. "Do you think it will be easy?"

Leia rolled her eyes and glanced at her older brother. "Do you really think they would send us on a difficult mission our first time?"

Luke cringed. His sister felt confident they would succeed in this assignment but he doubted her feelings, as he did not share the same belief. "They could, you know."

"It's a simple diplomatic mission. Nothing will go wrong."

"You shouldn't be so confident in your assumptions, Padawan. A Jedi has to be ready for everything."

The twins turned and saw their respective Master's, Ahsoka Tano and Obi-Wan Kenobi, walking towards them, holding a satchel each.

Ahsoka Tano was shaking her head, her head tails moving around her head as she walked. "Leia, you cannot assume anything about any mission. It may be a diplomatic mission but that does not mean it will be simple and easy to complete. Anything could happen." She walked right up to her Padawan, placing a hand on Leia's left shoulder. "And both of you need to be prepared."

Obi-Wan grinned. "I hope you've done your reading because you know _I_ will be testing you."

Luke nodded. "I have."

"And you, Leia?"

"Of course!"

"Good." Obi-Wan strolled past them, heading towards the shuttle that had been prepared for them overnight.

It was a standard Jedi shuttle, with two small rooms at the back with bunk beds. It had the latest repulsor technology and hyperdrive fitted. The shuttle wings folded up when docked but in flight they extended outwards, giving a more feeling of a gliding motion when in use. The only thing Luke did not like about the shuttle was the colour. It was white, with a simple red symbol of the Republic painted on to its side, with the Jedi Temple engraved over it to signify it was a shuttle belonging to the Jedi Order.

Luke followed his sister and the two Master's up the ramp. Obi-Wan stood at the top.

"Are you okay, Luke?" his Master asked.

"Yes, Master. I did the reading as required. I'm just concerned about any problems…" Luke bit his bottom lip. This was the difference between the two of them. Leia was ready for anything and didn't think about issues or problems. She took them as they came whereas Luke was a lot more analytical and thought about what issues or problems one would encounter and how he would solve them. He was very much like his mother that way whereas Leia took after their father who had a habit of running into things without thinking it through.

"If there are any problems we will encounter them when we do. Think about what we have to do, Luke and how we can achieve it. Do not envisage the problems. Doing so is a distraction and you will make mistakes if you dwell on different possibilities," advised Obi-Wan quietly.

Luke sighed. He knew this. But it was who he was. He couldn't change how he looked at things. "I'll try, Master."

The ramp closed behind Luke. He walked through the shuttle and into the cockpit where he found Ahsoka sitting in the pilot's chair with Leia beside her in the co-pilots seat. He frowned. He had hoped he could be co-pilot as Leia wasn't that interested in acquiring piloting skills. He knew his twin was considering entering diplomacy rather than take on the full mantle of a Jedi Knight but she did want to enhance her Jedi skills before taking that route.

He sat down in the chair behind his sister and Obi-Wan made himself comfortable behind Ahsoka.

The ship juddered briefly and then glided up into the air. Ahsoka titled the controls back, putting the shuttle into a steep dive whilst Leia communicated with the Air Traffic Controllers. They hit the atmosphere and pulled up into space, above the planet.

As the shuttle turned to the right, Luke watched through the window as the glistening lights of Coruscant reduced before them. The sun beamed to the left and Ahsoka angled the shuttle out further into space towards the hyperspace beacons.

"We have clearance to go to hyperspace, Master," said Leia.

Ahsoka nodded. She reached forward and grasped the leaver. "Everyone strapped in?"

Luke hastily belted himself in. He was an adrenaline junkie for speed, much like his father. He got a thrill when going into hyperspace and a part of him wanted to try it without having a seatbelt on, but he knew they wouldn't appreciate a Luke-splattered windscreen.

The shuttle accelerated as Ahsoka pulled the lever down, engaging the boosters. The shuttle rocketed forward and the stars were replaced by long streaks of light, as they hurtled through space towards their destination.

"How long will it take us to get to Xancra?" asked Leia, brushing a hand through her brown hair.

"A few days," replied Ahsoka. "It will give us time to practice on our meditation techniques and to further study the material relating to our mission. The situation on Xancra has the potential to get messy if we do not step carefully. It is vital we are prepared for anything."

Jedi, Luke knew, always had to be, providing they did not dwell on the problems one might encounter. Despite having read the material needed prior to leaving, he knew he still had a lot of studying to do. Reaching forward for the data-pad he had brought with him, Luke accessed the files and began to read.

* * *

Whilst Leia kept a watch on the piloting controls and Luke kept up on his studying, Obi-Wan nudged his head to the side to indicate to Ahsoka that he wanted to speak to her. Without saying a word, the two Master's left the cockpit, leaving their Apprentice's alone.

Leia twisted her head to look at her twin who was still engrossed in the data-pad. "You know they are talking about us, right?" she stated confidently.

Luke shrugged, not taking his eyes from the screen. "I know. But it doesn't bother me. This is our first mission. Of course they are going to discuss us."

"But do they have to make it so obvious?" huffed Leia. She could be very impatient when she wanted to be.

Luke finally raised his eyes. "Ley…" He used the name his twin liked to be called when she was upset about something. It was a nickname of sorts. He had his own. "Don't worry. We're only training. This is our first trip out. Master Kenobi and Knight Tano need to assess us. They'll be talking about us a lot."

Leia rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest. "I don't know why you insist on calling them that when they are not here. They're Ahsoka and Obi-Wan."

"They're our Master's," explained Luke. "They deserve respect."

"I do respect them!" Leia stated hotly.

Luke didn't flinch. He was used to Leia's quick temper, something which he was grateful he hadn't inherited. "They may be family to us growing up but they are still our seniors. We can get away with dad because he's our dad… but Master Kenobi is not. When we became Padawans we agreed to follow the rules, the first of which is to always respect your Master. I'm not going to call my Master by his first name unless he says it is okay to." Luke leaned forward. "I know he says often that I can but I don't want to be treated differently because he's basically, well, our uncle."

Leia shook her head. "You're weird."

Luke didn't mind. He and his sister were very different. Their Jedi paths would be different from one another, regardless of what happened, but they would still remain close. Leia was very much independent whereas Luke wanted to follow the rules. He may look like his father but his temperament and personality was that of his mother though he had inherited his father's piloting skills. "Do you want to study the data with me?"

"No. I've read it. Several times. I know what the situation is on Xancra."

"Okay." Luke engrossed himself in his datapad once again whilst Leia shook her head, a slight smile forming across her face, and turned her attention back to the controls.

* * *

"This assignment isn't going to be easy…" said Obi-Wan, as soon as he had closed the door to the small room he was sharing with Ahsoka. The twins had taken the other bunk room.

Ahsoka frowned. "Are you certain?"

Obi-Wan nodded, grimacing. "Wish I wasn't. But I am."

"Vision?" she enquired quietly.

Obi-Wan nodded his head. "Last night. Anakin… had it too."

"You shared it?" Ahsoka's eyes widened. "That's almost unheard of."

"I know. But we do, occasionally, share visions." Obi-Wan sat down on the bottom bunker, sighing. "Sometimes this bond is a blessing and other times it is a curse."

Ahsoka nodded, leaning back against the wall. "He saved your life yet you're not separate people. Not really."

"No, we're not. Anakin knows what the vision was about and he's worried."

"What did it show?" Ahsoka sounded almost afraid to ask.

"The twins… On their own on Xancra."

"That's it?" pressed Ahsoka.

"No… The rest involves you and I."

"Let me guess…" Ahsoka began to pace in the small space she had. "The diplomatic problem progresses to the point where our lives are put in danger. Assassination attempt?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "Looked like it."

"We order the twins to run. They get into the jungle. We're caught up in a diplomatic situation which has escalated to the point where it is not salvageable through negotiating alone."

"I didn't see much but that is the impression I got. We were not with Luke or Leia in the jungle in my vision."

"Did you see us at all?" asked Ahsoka.

"I did. We were in cells."

"Hmm. Problematic. So it looks like the Aggara party gets into power before we can resolve the conflict between the two parties." Ahsoka shook her head. "It would be better for Luke and Leia to be the ones in the cell, not either of us."

"If they did, they'd be able to use them against us." Obi-Wan pointed out.

"True." Ahsoka admitted. "It is difficult. We can prepare them for this…"

"It might worry them. But there is a chance we can resolve this conflict before it gets to that point. Not all visions have truth in reality. Some do. Others do not. But we cannot shrug this off. I believe it is a strong possibility that Luke and Leia will be on their own. If they are…" Obi-Wan hesitated. "They'll be fine. They're very capable and strong with the Force."

"Did you talk to Anakin or was it through your bond?"

"Through our bond. I can still sense him now but it grows weaker the further I am away from him. Our mental conversations we have will be impossible by the time we get to Xancra. At the moment I can sense him probing our bond, asking if I'm ok. It's getting very annoying." Obi-Wan grimaced.

Ahsoka chuckled. "He's always been like that."

Obi-Wan caught on quick. "Sometimes I wonder if Anakin ever became an adult…"

* * *

 **Jedi Temple, Coruscant**

Anakin chose to keep the vision he had shared with Obi-Wan quiet from his wife. He didn't want Padmé to worry over the twins. He could do it enough for her. He wasn't going to speak to his mother about it either but he was sure she would pick up on it. The key was to avoid her until he knew his children were coming home. They would be gone for at least two weeks, potentially more.

His golden locks waved around his face as he leaned back, closing his eyes, trying to delve into the comforts of the Force. He found meditating helped when he was worried but whenever he closed his eyes, all he saw were his children stumbling through a rainy, wet jungle, shivering and suffering from hypothermia. What father was he if he left his children to suffer that fate?

Obi-Wan had told him not to worry, that the vision didn't always mean it would pan out, but how could it not? It had been so vivid. It had to be a reflection of a future that was unavoidable.

 _Always in motion the future._

Yoda had told him that many times. Anakin wanted to believe him, he really did. He just felt that this was a future they could not avoid.

Anakin pulled at his hair, abandoning the attempt to meditate. He couldn't concentrate, his mind constantly racing. "They'll be fine. They're my kids. Of course they will!" Even that didn't help his nerves.

Now he knew what it had been like for his mother whenever he had gone away on missions. For the first time in his life, Anakin actually felt sympathy for her whenever he had gone out on a dangerous mission. As a youngster you never really thought about the people you left behind but now he was one of them.

And he hated it.

 **To be continued...**

 **Please let me know what you think!**

 **I wanted to try to have Luke and Leia be somewhat like their canon counterparts, as well as adapting to the new life they have had growing up. Hopefully the way they are portrayed and how they come across in this story will be adequate enough... This story should have around 10 chapters, perhaps less. I aim to have it finished by the end of this year.**

 **Chapter Two should be posted, hopefully, soon!**

 **Until then,**

 **the-writer1988**


	3. Chapter Two

**My apologies for the delay in posting this chapter. I have been stuck on writing Chapter 3 and 4 so I did't want to post. Chapter 3 is written and I am very slowly working on chapter 4. This story will be finished, it is just taking me a lot longer to write it then I had originally thought it would. I cannot say when the next chapter will be posted but I will try to post at least once a month.**

* * *

 **Future of the Jedi**

 **Chapter 2**

They'd been in hyperspace for a day before Obi-Wan decided to test the twins. He and Ahsoka had mostly left the twins to pilot the ship on their own. All they had to do was ensure that systems were not overheating and their trajectory in hyperspace remained on schedule. The two Masters had spent the majority of the time trying to work out a plan that the twins could follow if anything went wrong. In the light of Obi-Wan's vision, it seemed likely they would be left on their own.

As a first mission this shouldn't be happening for the twins but if the Force willed it…

Obi-Wan stepped into the cockpit. Though he had allowed Leia to pilot the ship so far, now was not the time for her concentration to be elsewhere, not when he wanted to quiz them both on the assignment they had been given.

Ahsoka slipped into the pilots seat that Leia had vacated, checking the dashboard before swinging the chair back round again.

The twins were seated on the chairs behind the front ones, looking at Obi-Wan who was leaning against the wall, with his arms folded across his chest.

Leia had her right leg crossed under her left with the limb hanging off the side of the chair, whilst Luke folded his legs beneath him, looking up at his Master with an eager expression on his face.

"So…"Obi-Wan began slowly, "this is your first assignment as Padawans. It is necessary for us to question you on how much you know, what to expect and what you will do if everything goes wrong."

Luke sat up straighter, a slight bit of fear crossing his face, whilst Leia just took it in her stride.

Obi-Wan knew Luke had been studying the data constantly since the trip had begun. He had done so prior to the assignment which was something Leia had embarked upon as well however neither he nor Ahsoka had seen Leia studying since leaving Coruscant. It would be interesting to see which twin would fare better in their quiz.

"This will show us how much you have thought about and considered what you should do in any type of situation you may experience. Our assignment may be straight-forward but we cannot be too careful," continued Ahsoka, glancing between the two twins.

Luke felt his stomach twist. The concerns he had voiced to his Master had been dismissed by him, telling him he shouldn't dwell upon any potential problems that may rise… yet now the two Jedi were saying that they should have considered it anyway. So what was correct?

Obi-Wan looked straight at Luke then.

Luke's eyes widened. His Master had heard the question formed in his head over their bond. This was not good.

Obi-Wan chuckled. "You do not need to worry, Luke. It is a valid question."

"So what is the answer then, Master?"

"Ahsoka and I need to know how you may deal with certain situations if they arise. It does not mean they will. You were concerned over anything that could go wrong, you were not envisioning on what to do. There is a difference between the two. You only need look for it," explained his Master serenely.

Luke bowed his head, understanding his Master's point.

"First we would like to know how much you know about the history of the planet we have been assigned to and why Jedi presences are needed. Leia?" Ahsoka turned her steely eyes upon her apprentice. "This question is yours."

Leia nodded. She brushed her braid behind her ear as she prepared to speak.

"Xancra has been a fairly new planet, recently discovered in the last five hundred years. It's on the outskirts of Republic space and in the last decade has joined the Republic. They have yet to have an official representative at the Senate due to internal squabbling between the two political parties that have long since ruled Xancra. The two parties are Aggara and Pecsi. Pecsi is the Xancra word for 'peace' and Aggara represents 'aggression'. Aggara has ruled Xancra for many long years, only to be dethroned fifteen years ago when President Echo Trevalini of Pecsi was elected. Pecsi has not ruled Xacra for over two hundred years so it marks a different way of life for the people of Xancra. There is opposition to the Pecsi government for joining the Republic, mainly from traditionalists who wish to remain secluded from the galaxy of large."

Leia paused there, thinking through what she needed to say next. "Xancra is fairly advanced in terms of technology and has the ability to space travel within their own system however they rarely do. They prefer to remain grounded. President Echo Trevalini has little support in government for wanting to send a representative to the Senate. The majority of people do not want to have any dealings with the Republic but wish for the advantages it gives without giving anything back. The political stability has been rocked by several attacks on loyal members to the President or several prominent public figures that support the notion of fully accepting the Republic's laws. Several threats have been made against the President and Aggara is using these attacks to begin, what the President describes as, a 'hostile takeover'. His position is tenuous at best. He is in danger of being foisted from power and government rule transferring back to Aggara. If this happens then Aggara will withdraw from the Republic and undo all the work the Pecsi party have achieved in the last fifteen years. The majority of the people's lives have improved since Republic involvement however the elite among society have had to suffer so that poorer people have a better quality of life. They disagree with this and believe you need to work to better yourself rather than have a galactic government make life easier for you. Personally I think that is disgusting since everyone deserves a better life. Being born poorer limits your choices on Xancra and there is less of a chance you will succeed to better yourself as you will not have the resources at your disposal to succeed. This is what the Pecsi party wish to happen. They believe in equality whereas Aggara does not."

She paused again, took a deep breath and continued. "Jedi presence is needed on Xancra to protect the alliance made between the planet, the people and the Republic. It is our job to ensure the lives of Republic citizens are protected and their livelihoods are not stripped away from them in an act of cruelty. Our primary mission is to protect the President and his loyal supporters from assassinations and – if possible – to uncover the true culprit behind these attacks." Leia finished and folded her arms across her chest.

"That was very detailed," congratulated Ahsoka. "Just what I expected from you, Leia."

Leia grinned.

Luke raised his hand.

"What is it?" Obi-Wan noticed.

"My sister missed one vital piece of information," said Luke.

"Oh?" Leia glared at her twin. "I think I got everything!"

Luke shrugged. "You didn't. There are Force sensitive children on Xancra too. At least three have been identified to have potential to join the Jedi Order. We are involved to show that a Jedi's life isn't as bad as it sounds. The parents are interested in learning more however their local area politician is against it and refuses to acknowledge there are Force sensitive children that could benefit the Jedi Order and their planet."

"Very good Luke. An extra piece of information you would have learned, Leia, if you had looked at the small print in the document. It isn't an important point but it is one we have to consider," conceded Obi-Wan.

Leia scowled. She hated being bested though Luke couldn't help it. He was thorough when it came to his reading.

He knew his sister was interested in politics. If she wanted to forge a career in that area she would have to start looking at the small print instead of bypassing it.

"Next question…." Obi-Wan glanced between the two. "Say, for example, we are attacked, what will you do?"

"Follow your lead," answered Leia.

"Obey your instructions," said Luke. "If you tell us to run, we do it. If you tell us to hide, we follow that order. We do not try to copy you unless instructed otherwise."

"Good," nodded Ahsoka. "Both correct answers though, Luke, you do give more detail. Leia, this is something you need to work on, especially if you intend to head down the path you wish to in the future."

Leia inclined her head.

"Third question… What would you do if both Master Kenobi and I were unable to help you? Take your time with this…"

Luke frowned. Why ask this? Did they believe something might happen on this assignment that might mean he and his sister would be left alone? They were only thirteen… they wouldn't be able to handle anything like that…

 _Luke! Stop worrying!_

 _I'm not!_ But he was. And he knew it. And his twin had felt it over the bond they shared.

"You would expect us to try to contact the Temple for help, if we could," said Leia. "Stay out of harm's way, and try not to get caught. That's why there are supplies in our little packs that you two have added just in case Luke and I need to camp in the jungle. It would be the best place to remain unnoticed. But if we can't contact the Jedi Temple then Luke and I would have to keep a low profile until help comes."

"But how would the Council know to send help if you cannot contact them?" pointed out Obi-Wan.

"That's easy," answered Luke. "Your bond with dad. You can talk to him through it and warn him."

Obi-Wan chuckled. "Not exactly. The further there is between Anakin and I, the less we are able to talk to one another. I can still sense his presence at the moment but with every inch of space we cross, the bond grows weaker. I can still send messages to him now but I can feel it stretching. I suspect by the time we get to Xancra I will be unable to communicate anything to Anakin through our bond. I will just be able to sense he is still alive, not actively communicate."

"Oh."

"I think I know," answered Leia. "You've just given us the answer."

Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows. "Have I?"

Luke glanced at his sister questioningly.

Leia smiled. "You don't think you'd be able to communicate with him but you feel you would still be able to sense he is still alive. So if you can still sense dad, then he should be able to sense you… but if you are in danger that sense will change for dad. Dad will notice the change. He may try to communicate with us or the planet to determine if we are safe. If he gets no answer he will come to Xancra"

"Not without ratification from the rest of the Council, he won't," replied Ahsoka.

"But you are right, Leia. If Anakin can still sense me but not communicate and notices a change in the state of the bond that may make him act to find out if anything untoward has happened. But… that isn't the answer we are looking for," continued Obi-Wan.

Luke felt surprised echoing around his sister's Force signature. He wondered what the correct answer was.

"What do you know about this ship?" asked Ahsoka, moving her hand around the cockpit. "What's different about it from standard shuttles?"

Luke suddenly understood. "Oh! The pod! But not pod!"

Obi-Wan nodded. "And…?" he encouraged.

"The shuttle is carrying a very small pod. Like a narrow tube, so not a pod. It was constructed to aid Padawans in contacting for help if missions went wrong!"

Leia then spoke up. "Before we land on Xancra, we will have to cruise over the jungle. You'll release the mechanism and dump it in the jungle so if anything does go wrong, Luke and I can head towards it!"

"And then either Leia or I can get in, pilot it up into space and transmit to the Council before returning to the surface and leaving the area as quickly as possible," finished Luke.

"Good," said Ahsoka. "And if we do not need to use the pod, it will join up with the shuttle when we leave Xancra. It remains in active mode at all times but doesn't give off much of a heat signature to be detected on ordinary scanners."

The twins nodded. Both already knew this.

"We're not going to ask you any more questions right now but do continue with the reading. It is important we avoid any situation that leaves you two on your own and having to use the pod to get help," instructed Obi-Wan. "Even if you have reread the same pieces of text fifty times, we both want you to be prepared. If it comes down to it, we'd rather you knew what you were doing than fumble along without a plan. Which, might I add," he smiled, laughing lightly, "is something your father does on a very regular basis."

The twins laughed.

* * *

"Do you think they'll be okay?" asked Ahsoka. She was sitting in the pilot's seat, having ordered the twins to sleep and rest for the next few hours. They would be arriving at Xancra soon and she wanted both Padawans to be ready and alert.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, his right hand on his chin as he stroked his beard. "They will be. I think if my vision plays out the way it should Luke and Leia will be on their own. But I believe they will take on the challenge and succeed. They have to… Everyone is looking towards them as successors to Anakin. Luke and Leia are not just normal Jedi apprentices. They're the future of the Jedi."

 **To be continued...**

 **Thank you for the comments for the previous chapter!**

 **Next chapter: The Jedi arrive on Xancra...**

 **Until next time,**

 **the-writer1988**


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